D Griff wrote: ↑Sun May 29, 2022 8:50 pm
Huckleberry wrote: ↑Sun May 29, 2022 1:30 pm
Typically, it is recommended every five years just because brake fluid will absorb moisture over time. In terms of the frequency in the Mk7 GTI, I am just going to defer to VW's recommendation as I assume they have some data to back up this change. I have a Motive power bleeder, so it isn't a big deal for me, and I will just use the ATE Typ 200 that I use in everything. Will the ATE fluid negate the interval because it isn't the factory fluid? Maybe. That would just be a matter of inspecting the fluid and seeing how it looks. If it is still amber in two years and the brakes are fine, then I may reassess the interval. But for this first go-around, I will follow the three year recommendation.
I use ATE as well, it’s always held up great on track and isn’t as insanely expensive as some others. I recently replaced the BMW’s fluid and it looked brand new after about 2.5 years and a handful of track and autox things.
Two years under normal use seems a bit much but whatever, I’d likely do the same as well if they call for it.
I am also a nonbeliever in the lifetime fill fluids. Change the shit from time to time, most lifetime stuff I’d likely do every 40-50k miles personally.
@WAP, diff fluid is always black and stinky as hell every time I’ve ever changed it, so the somewhat frequent interval seems legit to me. I did it annually on the Corvette because it made noises.
I've been using ATE for those same reasons: it performs well and isn't priced to the moon. I still remember their Super Blue days before the US outlawed the use of blue brake fluid. Back then, all of my cars had blue brake and clutch fluid.
I don't trust lifetime fill fluids, either. Everything has a lifespan; it's the nature of the beast. I also make sure to remove spark plugs well before their 100k intervals just to apply some anti-seize to the threads and dielectric grease to the boots. If the plugs are iridiums, they will last for a long time, but steel plugs in aluminum heads can make for a bad time after 100k miles-worth of combustion cycles.
Differential fluid intervals depend on the vehicle for me. The GTO's changes are infrequent - maybe every 4 or 5 years, but the El Camino needs it done about every 2 years because the rear will start making noises in slow parking lot turns. The GTI is every 3/30k, and we shall see what the 944 does.